Kalamazoo Civic Theatre recognizes over 1,100 volunteers who make the community theatre go

KALAMAZOO, MI -- The many volunteers who are vital to the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre were recognized for their contributions during the community theatre's annual Volunteer Celebration Event on May 31.

The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre's 2014-15 season, its 86th, was announced in February. Volunteers who contributed to the 2013-14 season were recognized during a celebration May 31.Kalamazoo Gazette file

Over 400 volunteers gathered in the Civic Auditorium to celebrate the triumphs of the past season, and to recognize their peers for outstanding contributions.

Preston Misner, the theatre's director of volunteers, said more than 1,100 volunteers donated their time and talent to the Civic during the 2013-2014 season, from the actors who work on stage and the technicians who work behind the scenes to the ushers who greet patrons.

The Larkin H. Noble Award, given in recognition of lifetime achievement and outstanding service, was presented to Marie McColley-Kerstetter. Over the past five decades, Kerstetter has served the Civic in many capacities including musical director, accompanist and teaching artist. A sampling of her long list of credits includes Evita, Baby, Fiddler on the Roof, Smokey Joe’s Café and the award-winning Forever Plaid.

The recipient of the 2013-14 Spirit of the Civic Award, which is on permanent display in the theatre lobby and is bestowed upon the person or group who best represented the Spirit of the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre during the past season, is Kim Boysen.

Estefan Kizer was presented with the The Parish Award, named in honor of Suzanne U.D. Parish and given to members of the Civic family that have stepped up to perform duties in last minute situations, showing the true spirit of “the show must go on."

A highlight of the annual volunteer celebration is the awarding of the Excellence in Performance Awards, which are voted on by a committee comprised of Civic staff members, board members and volunteers. Recipients of the 2013-14 Excellence in Performance Awards were Sharon Bradford (Peter Pan), Jeremy Koch (Les Misérables), Sarah Lynn Roddis (The Miracle Worker), Zachary Joel Smits (Les Misérables) and Mary Teutsch (Annie Get Your Gun).

The People’s Choice Awards, voted on by the volunteers to reflect their favorite performances of the season, went to Jeremy Koch (Les Misérables) and Mary Teutsch (Annie Get Your Gun).

The Production Excellence award, which is given to the production that most fully realized all aspects of production including performances, crew, direction, and design, was awarded to Les Misérables.

Entertainment for the evening included a re-cap of the productions that comprised the 2013-14 season, as well as musical selections from the musicals and short scenes from the plays that will comprise the Civics’ upcoming 2015-16 season.